ok, let's start with this. I am the griller of the household. I take a lot of pride in the grills I purchase. This one was a gift from my Sis %26 BIL. My husband put it together in about an hour by himself. I only helped to put the top on. Once it was done, I went out and looked at it. I honestly wasn't expecting what I saw. The grates are cast iron. They are heavy, and they will be a breeze to clean. The other grills I had were the enamel kind of stuff, I guess. They were annoying to clean. Now I only picked this one because the Memmber's Mark grill/griddle combo one was sold out when I was asked to pick one, so the removable griddle was a huge seller. Let me tell you, the weight and quality of the griddle system is AMAZING. It is not flimsy. It is very heavy. A good cast iron. So keep that in mind, the griddle system is heavy, so if you don't like lifting something very heavy to lift out and clean, then find another insert. I have not used it yet, but it is all ready for Memorial Day!!! Can't wait to use the griddle and the smoking option!